How do i remove center stand?

I'm trying to remove the center stand to straighten the bent footrest (pic below). I got the left side bolt off no problem. When i try to remove the right side bolt it won't come out as it hits the exhaust and there isn't enough room to back the bolt out.

Has anyone come acroos this problem?


Pic taken from underneath bike.

I haven't done this myself but I have a very similar problem. The foot lever bent this past summer when I was putting it up on the center stand. If that bolt hits the exhaust, I guess you have to remove the exhaust. I guess I'll be doing that this winter!

not 100%, but i bet you can squeeze it in if you unbolt the can from its mountin point on the passenger peg.

i'll be tearing into the parts bike tonight, and can confirm it after work

Sat and stared at it for a while. It does look like the exhaust would have to come off. Guess i'll just leave it alone, 'cause try as i might i can't get the bike up on the center stand anyhow.

Thanks for the input.

For those of us newbies, here's a video on how to get the bike up on the center stand. Got it to work after a few tries. I almost cried......been struggling to do that for a long while.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDNqCMNau9A

Quote from: Dresnewtoy on October 27, 2011, 09:50:31 AM
For those of us newbies, here's a video on how to get the bike up on the center stand. Got it to work after a few tries. I almost cried......been struggling to do that for a long while.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDNqCMNau9A

yeah I had problems initially.
Trick for me, was to grab the bit o metal under the seat-area-plastic, with my right hand, then do what most things tell you NOT to do, and pull "up", as I roll the bike backwards

Now getting it up is easy... but getting it back down without tipping it over, is more tricky
Giving it a teenietiny steer away from me (so it would fall towards me, on the kickstand, if I miss) helps a bunch.

So does not grabbing the brake. big, big mistake, that one.

when you put a bike on its center stand the worst thing to do is to lift up...

what you want to do is jank backwards

yeah grabbing under the seat (the metal frame) is a good place, when you want to put the bike back down sit on it at first till you get a feel how the bike is going to react

Quote from: XLAR8 on October 27, 2011, 09:56:44 AM
when you put a bike on its center stand the worst thing to do is to lift up...

.. blah blah blah...




I'm 5ft6, 140 lbs.
Lifting up,on the under-seat, while rolling back, WORKS. Other things do not.
Different strokes for different folks, as the (odd) saying goes.


Presumably, this is because "lifting up", effectively gives me more "down" force through my foot on the centerstand.
I'm using the weight of the bike, against itself, in a way.

otherwise, I'm simply not heavy enough to use the centerstand effectively.

Don't lift UP? Why not? A bunch of crap.

See other threads. There is the short, diagonal brace on the frame near the petcock just perfect for lifting straight up.
I tried the "proper way" and it doesn't work. BAD leverage - arms so stretched they have to control of the bike. If the bike starts to go over, no way to stop it because you're so stretched out you have no leverage.

Step on center stand...  grab handle bar with left hand to steady it... grab frame under seat on that piece of the frame... do a dead lift up and back and there she is! If the bike starts to go over - just lean back and hold on. You're in a good position to keep control of the bike because your hand is right in the center right in front of you - not stretched out to the back of the bike. You're standing there - so it can't fall to the left - you're in the way.

Grab the frame - don't grab the seat or plastics.

You could do this even with a bad center stand lever. Hold down the center stand with your toe on the bottom of the center stand rather than the foot lever.

PS: To get off of center stand: side stand UP. Sit on bike. Skooch forward to roll off the center stand and grab the front brake to keep from rolling into the wall. Won't fall over if sitting on it.

I bent the lever on my center stand too. So I'm planning on taking mine off this winter to beat it back into shape. I've never looked at it - good to know the exhaust has to come off! I'm repainting my exhaust anyway, so no big deal.

I lift up on mine now too, mostly just to keep from putting too much stress on my already bent lever.

I never had much trouble getting mine onto the center stand, even for my first try. But, I imagine being 6'5" and fairly muscular helps with that. I can (and have) muscle it back up from falling over. Whenever i'm feeling lazy though, (or im wearing sandals or shoeless) I will move the bike forward, (standing next to it) then push it backwards pretty fast, and push down on the lever. It catches on the ground and pushes the bike up on it's own, no hard pressing down necessary.

Why not buy a new one? $3.75 + $14 p&h
Bending steel back will not be as strong as before. It will just bend again.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Suzuki-GS500-04-Centerstand-/110649698461?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item19c33c689d

or why not just take the ugly thing off completely and get a separate rear tire stand.. i got one locally for 20 buck and its of great quality! And its not hard to take that exhaust off... i believe its only 5 bolts!

Quote from: adidasguy on October 27, 2011, 11:56:56 AM


PS: To get off of center stand: side stand UP. Sit on bike. Skooch forward to roll off the center stand and grab the front brake to keep from rolling into the wall. Won't fall over if sitting on it.

yeaaaahhh no. that dont work for me either . Seeing as how my legs can barely reach the ground when its on the centerstand.

(btw, tried it once anyway. dropped it   think I grabbed the brake too hard )

Quote from: adidasguy on October 27, 2011, 08:32:38 PM
Why not buy a new one? $3.75 + $14 p&h
Bending steel back will not be as strong as before. It will just bend again.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Suzuki-GS500-04-Centerstand-/110649698461?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item19c33c689d

For that price, I probably will! I'm going to start my buying spree before too long here.

NorwayGT1 - I would but I love the functionality of having it wherever I go.

Quote from: steezin_and_wheezin on October 27, 2011, 09:18:54 AM
not 100%, but i bet you can squeeze it in if you unbolt the can from its mountin point on the passenger peg.

i'll be tearing into the parts bike tonight, and can confirm it after work

Yep, just loosen the exhaust from the rear mount (at the muffler) and after pushing the pipe away(down, I belive) it will allow for enough clearance to remove the bolt.